THOUSANDS of working families in the South West could be missing out on an opportunity to get up to £2,000 a year.

The cash comes from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), which is reminding parents ahead of February half term - in a bid to help with the cost of childcare.

Tax-Free Childcare – the 20% childcare top-up – provides eligible working families with up to £500 every three months (or £1,000 if their child is disabled) towards the cost of holiday clubs, before and after-school clubs, childminders and nurseries, and other accredited childcare schemes.

More than 26,600 working families used the scheme in September 2021, in the South West. Overall, HMRC paid out more than £35 million in top-up payments, which was shared between nearly 316,000 families across the UK – an increase of about 90,000 families compared to September 2020.

Tax-Free Childcare is available for children aged up to 11, or 17 if the child has a disability. For every £8 deposited into an account, families will receive an additional £2 in government top-up.

Parents and carers can check their eligibility and register for via gov.uk

Helen Whately, Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury said: “Whether it’s for holiday clubs, breakfast clubs, or childminders and nurseries, Tax-Free Childcare is a great offer that gives working parents a helping hand with their childcare costs."